The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-11
A JOYOUS EASTER SUNDAY.
How the Day Was Happily Observed
at the Different Churches.
Much Fine Music and Beautiful Costumes
Make the Day q Memorable Easter.

MucU IHc III uSiC duu
Make the Day Memorable Easter.
The season yesterday was in keeping with the
sentiment and joy of the religious festival that
prevailed throughout all Christendom. 1t is sell
dom that Easter Sunday has all the beautiful
essentials Of the physical world completely in
harmony with its songs of praise, its joyful
teachings, its display of flowers its emblems OF
life. The sky was clear, the sun bright, the air
inspiriting with breeze to make one feel that
spring had come. when all believers had their
thoughts turned to the resurrection of divine
life more than eighteen hundred years ago. 1t
was the old Saxon worship, at this time OF year,
so say some of the old commentators, to hail the
coming of the goddess Astarte, who Brought with
her the season of life When Christ dsthroned
her. the name Easter, transformed from that OF
the goddess was retained to denote His resur-
rection. While the festival has had an
important place in the church calendar
until recent years its observance was left almost
wholly to Catholics and Episcopalians. Other
denominations held to 1t nomnally ard without
special notice. unless it was in q sermon appro-
pirate to this event in Christ's career on earth.
within the care of the non-ritualistic churches
have by degrees adopted observanees suggested
By the spirit of the day. and now there is hardly
a denomination which does not have its Easter
rites, varying from a simplicity of form to one
more elaborate, according to the tastes of the
congregation If the observance is neglected
by church ITSELF there will surely be some
thing In the Sunday school services to make
amends. But the day was too fine not to inspire
the non-church-goer also with its enjoyment.
Hence. throughout the morning and afternoon
the streets we're thronged with promenaders
mingling with the crowds On the way to their
especial devotions. The city. it seemed. had
turned out for holiday. 1t was an attractive
sight.
But in the churches there was everything, in
prayer song and flowers, to make the festival of
this year ore of long remembrance. No chapel
was too poor not to have some evidence of the
day about its simple altar. even if it wsre no
more than bouquet Florists say that in no
other Easter season have they had such de-
mand for flowers The resources of some were
exhausted, and many orders left with them were
this account unsupplied. These floral decor
atoms for many of the leading churches were
artistic in those designs and notices 5eftting
the day. There WAS sweet perfume wherever
one went, and the eye for the beautiful had
much to delight it.
of simple forms or the elaborate compositions of
the masters. 1t was mostly in the Catholic and
Episcopal churches that the latter were used,
yet wherever there was a choir of note, quartet
or solo, appropriate to the time, would be rem
dered. The Sunday school services in this way
were almost without exception directed to the
spirit of the festival. From the Presbyterian
choirs-notably those of the First, Second, Me-
mortal and Tabernacle Churches-the music was
of the highest order The Methodsts, too. gave
the day an especial mark by the excellence OF
their selections. Plymouth Church, where
the service; services a. always u, have sometime sas
| an impressive musical programme. lie
| Central Christian Church had both for morning
and evening especial music of classical numbers.
| Song service vas a popular mode particularly
at Hall place Methodist and the Tabernacle
Presbyterian. This was followed in the even
ing. and at the latter church the theme the
THE Raising of Jalruss Daughter" In it the
| solos were sustained by Miss Anna Bags
| Emma Louise Thompson, and Carrie Cooper.
| At this church the flowers were also noticeable
bank of Easter lilies design of the crown
of thorns, display of Mareehal Mel roses
Church He Is Risen, by Millard, and 1.-The
Earth Is the Lords" by Handel, were impress
sively rendered by the choir, with Miss Anna
| Stoll. Miss Lizzie Walker and N. Bamberger as
the soloists At Central-avenue Church the day
proved to be one Of rare attraction. In the
morning Rev. E. W. S. Hammond, of the Lex
! ington Conference. preached sermon upon the
resurrection, full of power and beauty, sustain
| ing the reputation he enjoys of being of the
most eloquent and effective pulpit orators in the
| Methodist denomination. very large audience
was delighted with the discourse. In the after
noon Bishop Mallelieu made an address to
another large Assem- blage, replete with earnest
| exhortation to the Sunday-school children who
had come out in unusually large numbers to greet
| one of the chief pastors of the church. But at
night the principal Easter service was held. the
| exercises being entirely by the children. Reel
| tations and dialogues were given by members of
the school. the last recitation. He Is Risen" by
Miss Eva Austin, ftly GROWING the appropriate
programme Rev. DR.. Stowe, of tha Western
| Book Concern made an earnest talk upon the
question of literature for the young. emphasiz-
ing the fact that the battle for the control
of the rising generation being
fought out on the ground of liter
| ature. What the children read will determine
| their character and their future The main
| audience room and chapel were crowded, and
not the least feature of the occasion was the ex-
cellent music, led by the young peoples choir
and orchestra which evoked a special compli-
ment from Bishop Mallalieu The church was
beautifully decorated. and number of singing
canaries added their voices TO the Easter melody.
| AT the Second Presbyterian particular eff
fort was made in Sunday school service,
and also in floral decorations, which were after
the most elaborate designs. feature was a
splendid cactus in front of the altar. The
| auditorium rich in the beauty of its flowers
The Mayflower Church also paid its tributes in
flowers, impressive music and service of song.
At Roberts Park, to the left of the pulpit, was =
beautiful white cross eight feet high, and hang
ing on it was an anchor of roses festooned with
smilax. About the base were placed IL pro-
fusion tropical and rare plants in bloom. On the
right of the pulpit stood another cross formed of
tropical plant and off with cut flowers. On
top was a crown of thorns and above it a
white dove bearing olive branch The
is said TO have been made
from the kind of plant which the Jews
used in making the crown for Christ. In the
| tnaa Ex,o x,
in the anthems. by banks, of Christ Being
Raised from the Dead" and Christ Our Pass
over" Hoden's quartet, ANGELS Roll the Rock
Away" was admirably sung by the Misses Anna
Bags and Emma Thompson. Dan Thompson
and L. Willard. The fine choir at the First
Baptist Church gave excellent programme.
At all of these churches the sermons were OF
the resurrection of Christ, themes suggested
by 1t. The day was appro priately observed a
the Female Reformatory, where programme
of music and exercises rendered.
STABBED IN THE SIDE.